Flossmoor board meetings often lasted two or more hours during much of 2024, and at the last meeting of the year on Dec. 16, trustees agreed to an earlier start time to help compensate, although one resident questioned whether the new time would be conducive to attendance at both village board and school board meetings.
Starting Monday, Jan. 6, meetings will begin at 7 p.m., half an hour earlier than they have in recent years.
Mayor Michelle Nelson introduced the question prior to the vote, noting the length of meetings during the year and the fact that most local government boards start earlier than Flossmoor’s board.
“In the interest of getting through really important village business while people are still at their best, it seemed like it made sense to introduce this,” she said.
During public comment before the meeting change was considered, resident Pam Jackson asked the board to reject the time change because of the potential to conflict with Flossmoor School District 161 Board of Education meetings, which typically start at 6 p.m.
“I would like the opportunity to attend both meetings,” Jackson said. “Moving the start time to 7 p.m. would make this impossible. Perhaps the village and school district 161 could coordinate so both meeting meetings could be attended.”
Before the vote on the time change, Nelson responded to Jackson’s concern, acknowledging that there had been times during the year when the village and school board meetings were on the same night, but she said that was an exception to the rule.
She said she consulted with district officials and learned that the school board normally meets the second and fourth Monday of each month. The village board meets the first and third Monday.
However, the district policy about moving meeting dates to avoid holidays and other conflicts is different from the village’s, and that contributed to three occasions in 2024 when the meetings were on the same nights.
When holidays occur on a Monday, the village shifts the board meeting to the next day. The school district shifts its board meeting by a week, which can result in meetings on the first and third Mondays.
